Paradise

6th April?  I shouldn't really be allowed anywhere near a computer.  Couple of really lovely reserves close by - Mpenjati and Umtamvuna.  And no I didn't see any nudes on the beach nor did I shed as there was quite a cool wind blowing.  Found some fairly cool birds of the feathered variety though.  Have also been visiting all the local beaches and there are some really stunning ones.  Surprising to see that the municipal facilities are being maintained, they must realize the importance of tourism.

Went down to Port Edward to atlas Umtamvuna starting from the bottom end along the river.  At this time of year the sun doesn't get into the gorge at all in places, so it was really quiet.  Then I heard a rustle.........bingo Spotted Ground Thrush.

Another rustle and voila Brown, Scrub Robin and over there Terrestrial Brownbul, and what just flew in up there - Chorister Robin-chat.  One of those times when you don't know where to look next. 

The river must be heavily polluted as the water is tinged with the unmistakable flush of green algae.  However that doesn't seem to phase the fish as a Fish Eagle plopped into the water while I was gazing at the view and I thought it must have caught something big as he was flopping around like crazy, but then realized he/she was having a splendid bath.  Next stop was the beach to see if I could pick up some pelagics for the list. The poor shad were being decimated, you'd think they'd learn ........... Wow Eric check out that lekker piece of fish......Eric?

The place these guys were fishing from was the aptly named Splash Rock.

A day later I went to the Beacon Hill section of the reserve where all the trails plummet into either the Umtamvuna Gorge or its tributary the Boboyi.  I got halfway down and decided that that was quite far enough so stuck to the grasslands at the top.  Followed a pack of baboons for a way and the big old rear guard kept giving me the evil eye before moving on.

All along the trail were these funnel spider webs, covered in dew.

Back at the resource center I learned all about Lydenbergia abbottii a massive tree that only occurs in these two gorges and it's total range is about 10 km long.  Raspalia trigyna, a small bush, was another of interest as it was lost to science soon after being described way back when and was presumed extinct until a single specimen was located in the reserve in the 60's.  Unfortunately it croaked and none cuttings taken from it survived - second extinction?  Fortunately not as another small clump has been located and cuttings successfully propagated.